The NITI Aayog has recently released its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) India Index for 2023-24, marking significant progress in sustainable development across Indian states and union territories.
What is the SDG India Index?
The SDG India Index is a tool developed by NITI Aayog to monitor and track India’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations. It promotes the localization of SDGs by encouraging states and UTs to integrate these goals into their development plans, making it easier for policymakers to identify gaps and prioritize actions. The Index serves as a benchmark for evaluating progress towards the 2030 SDG targets. Methodology: The SDG India Index assesses the performance of Indian states and union territories across 16 SDGs using a set of indicators aligned with national priorities. A total of 113 indicators are used, which are part of the National Indicator Framework. The performance for each SDG is measured by assigning a score from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better progress toward the SDG targets. The states/UTs are categorized as:
- Aspirant (0–49)
- Performer (50–64)
- Front-Runner (65–99)
- Achiever (100)
Key Features: - The Goal-wise scores are calculated for 16 SDGs, with each goal assigned a score.
- Goal 14 (Life Below Water) is excluded from the composite score, as it pertains only to India’s coastal states.
- The Index encourages competitive and cooperative federalism, where states learn from each other to bridge outcome-based gaps and work towards achieving the SDGs.
2023-24 SDG India Index Highlights: - Overall Progress:
- India’s overall SDG score improved to 71 in 2023-24 from 66 in 2020-21 and 57 in 2018. All states have shown improvements, driven largely by targeted government interventions in poverty reduction, economic growth, and climate action.
- Top Performers:
- Kerala and Uttarakhand scored 79 points each, emerging as the best performers.
- Lowest Performer:
- Bihar had the lowest score, with 57 points, followed by Jharkhand at 62 points.
- Front-Runner States:
- 32 states and UTs are now in the front-runner category, with 10 new entrants, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh.
Key Government Interventions: Several government initiatives have significantly contributed to SDG progress: - Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: Over 4 crore houses built.
- Swachh Bharat Mission: 11 crore toilets and over 2.23 lakh community sanitary complexes constructed.
- Ujjwala Yojana: Over 10 crore LPG connections provided.
- Jal Jeevan Mission: 14.9 crore households connected with tap water.
- Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY: 30 crore beneficiaries.
- PM Mudra Yojana: 43 crore loans sanctioned.
- Saubhagya Scheme: 100% household electrification.
- Renewable Energy: Solar capacity increased from 2.82 GW to 73.32 GW in a decade.
- National Food Security Act (NFSA): Coverage for over 80 crore people.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Rs. 34 lakh crore transferred via PM Jan Dhan accounts.
- Skill India Mission: 1.4 crore youth trained and 54 lakh youth reskilled.
SDG-Specific Highlights: - Goal 1: No Poverty: Score improved from 60 in 2020-21 to 72 in 2023-24. 99.7% of job seekers under MGNREGA were employed in 2023-24.
- Goal 2: Zero Hunger: Moved from Aspirant to Performer category. 99.01% of beneficiaries covered under NFSA, 2013.
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being: Score improved from 52 in 2018 to 77 in 2023-24. 93.23% of children aged 9–11 months are fully immunized, and the Maternal Mortality Rate is 97.
- Goal 4: Quality Education: 96.5% net enrolment rate for elementary education. 100% gender parity in higher education.
- Goal 5: Gender Equality: Improved score from 36 in 2018 to 49 in 2023-24. Sex ratio at birth stands at 929 females per 1,000 males.
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Score improved from 63 in 2018 to 89 in 2023-24. 99.29% of rural households have improved drinking water sources.
- Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: Highest score among all SDGs, improved from 51 in 2018 to 96 in 2023-24. 100% households have access to electricity.
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: 5.88% annual GDP growth rate. Unemployment reduced from 6.2% to 3.4% between 2018-19 and 2022-23.
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Score improved from 41 in 2018 to 61 in 2023-24. 99.7% habitations have all-weather road connectivity under PM Gram Sadak Yojana.
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities: Minor decrease from 67 in 2020-21 to 65 in 2023-24. 45.61% seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions held by women.
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Improved from 39 in 2018 to 83 in 2023-24. 78.46% of municipal solid waste processed in 2024.
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: 91.5% of biomedical waste treated in 2022. 54.99% of hazardous waste recycled in 2022-23.
- Goal 13: Climate Action: Drastic improvement from 54 to 67 in 2023-24. Renewable energy share increased from 36.37% to 43.28%.
- Goal 14: Life Below Water: Not included in composite score due to its coastal-specific nature.
- Goal 15: Life on Land: Improved from 66 in 2020-21 to 75 in 2023-24. 25% of the geographical area is under forests and tree cover.
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: 95.5% of the population covered by Aadhaar as of March 2024. 71.3% charge sheeting rate for IPC crimes.
NITI Aayog's Role and Objectives: NITI Aayog, established in
2015, replaced the Planning Commission, with a focus on a
bottom-up approach and
cooperative federalism.
Its objectives include:
- Promoting cooperative federalism through collaboration with states.
- Developing plans at the village level and integrating national security into economic strategies.
- Focusing on marginalized sections of society and encouraging partnerships with stakeholders.
- Supporting knowledge innovation and resolving inter-sectoral issues.
- Sustainable development practices and good governance.
Major Initiatives:
- SDG India Index
- Composite Water Management Index
- Atal Innovation Mission
- Aspirational District Programme
- Health Index
- India Innovation Index
- Good Governance Index
In conclusion, the SDG India Index reflects India’s strong commitment to achieving the 2030 SDG targets through collaborative and competitive federalism, with substantial progress across key areas such as poverty reduction, healthcare, education, energy access, and gender equality.
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